Narrow steel spacer



March 8,1949. Hyp. Pmmps' f 2,463,802

` 1 'NARROW shTEEL SPACER.

Filedsept. 25, 1947 INVENTOR.

y `MQ Patented Mar. 8, 1949 NARROW STEEL SPACER Harold P. Phillips, Hastings, Mich., assgnor to n Hastings Manufacturing Company, Hastings,

Mic-h.

Application September 25, 1947, Serial No. 776,073

8 Claims. (Cl. 309-44) This invention relates to improvements in piston ring elements.

The main objects of the invention are:

First, to provide a piston ring element formed entirely of ductile metal which can be readily and economically fabricated and is not likely to be broken or distorted in use.

Second, to provide a piston ring element having these advantages with the advantage of very free drainage thereby adapting it for use as an oil ring.

Third, to provide a Apiston ring element of the type above described having oil drainage rea-ches and spacer reaches, the drainage reaches being of substantially solid cross section and'the spacer reaches being conformed to resist crushing or collapse and being hollow to provide oil pockets or reservoirs adapted to permit seepage of oil into and from the same.

Fourth, to provide a piston ring element formed of ductile metal which may be used as a spacer element in combination with at elements formed of ribbon steel.

Objects relating to the details and economies of the invention will appear from the detailed description to follow. The invention is defined and `pointed out in the claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the ringelement, showing the spacer and oil drainage reaches on one side of the element.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the ring element, the view having the outer peripheral edge of the element, the View also showing in dotted outline the upper and lower co-operating at ring cylinder wall engaging members.

Figs. 3 and 4 are enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional views of the piston ring assembly in relation to the piston and cylinder, the views showing the improved piston ring element on the lines 3-3 and 4--4, respectively of Fig. 2.

. In considering the accompanying drawings it should be borne in mind that no attempt is made to show the parts in their relative proportion and where associated with the piston and cylinder to show the clearances and relative proportions.

In the drawings I represents the cylinder and 2 a piston having a piston ring groove 3 therein provided with oil drainage passages 4. 'I'he ring assembly disposed in the ring groove 3 comprises the spaced split expansible annularly-shaped cylinder wall engaging members 5, the intermediate spacer element B and theexpander 'I yieldably 2 forcing the side members '5 and spacer element 6 into engagement with the cylinder wall.

The spacer ring element designated generally by the numeral 6 relates to the type of ring element disclosed in my Patent No. 2,404,862 granted July 30, 1946, wherein a flat strip or ribbon of relatively thin ductile steel or other metal is folded longitudinally upon itself by any suitable means as folding rollers and thereafter conformed to desired shape by suitable die members.

I'he spacer ring element 6 is annularly shaped, resilient and split at 6I providing spaced ends 8 permitting the ring element to be compressed into the ring groove 3 and to expansibly engage the cylinder wall I. The spacer element comprises the upper, lower and intermediate plies or members 9, I0 and II, respectively, the upper ply 9 being connected to the lower ply I0 by the intermediate inner or rear wall portion I2, and lower ply I0 being connected to the intermediate ply II by the bight or intermediate bent portion I3. The upper ply 9 is of greater radial width than the lower ply I0 and constitutes a cylinder wall engaging element and a means for engagingly supporting the upper flat annular cylinder wall engaging side member 5.

The ring element 6 is provided with alternate drain reaches I4 and spacer reaches I5. In the drain reaches the plies 9, I0 and II are disposed in parallel side by side contacting relation as shown in Fig. 4, whereas in the spacer reaches the intermediate ply II is disposed at substantially right angles to and supportingly spaces the upper and lower plies 9 and I0 and is disposed in spaced relation to the rear wall I2 as shown in Fig. 3, thereby rigidly supporting the upper and lower plies in spaced relation and providing a hollow section constituting an oil pocket or reservoir I6. While the free edge of the intermediate ply is disposed to supportingly engage the upper ply it is not soldered or welded to said ply, thereby f permitting seepage of the oil to and from the oil pockets or reservoirs IB. These pockets receive oil by seepage from the cylinder wall after starting and thereafter deliver this oil to the cylinder wall upon a subsequent rst starting.

The plies in the drain reaches I4 are axially collapsed or upset into parallel, abutting relation by any suitable die member. This operation is similar to the formation of the oil drainage reaches disclosed in my patent previously mentioned.

My ring element embodying the construction above described in which the intermediate ply I I is parallel to the upper and lower plies in the contacting relation thereby providing oil drain passageways ll of substantial axial Width to facilitate free drainage of oil therethrough.

While I have shown and described the ring element Si as a spacer between the flat cylinder wall engaging members 5, this ring element is well adapted for use in other piston ring assemblies than that herein disclosed, as for example in such assemblies as are shown in my patent hereinbefore mentioned.

I have illustrated and described a very practical embodiment of my invention. I have not attempted to illustrate or describe other embodiments or adaptations as it is believed this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my invention as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure .by Letter Patent is:

l. A piston ring assembly comprising a` pair of axially spaced split expansible cylinder wall engaging side members, a split annular expansible ring element intermediate said cylinder Wall en.- gaging side members, formed of a ribbon of ductile metal conformed to provide oppositely disposed outer plies, an inner wall connecting the inner edgesv of said outer plies and a ply intermediate said outer plies, one of said outer plies being dat and constituting a cylinder wall engaging member, the other outer ply being integrally connected at its outer edge to one edge of said intermediate ply, the other edge of said intermediate ply being. free, said several plies extending continuously from end to endv of the ring element and being conformed. to provide alternate oil drainage rea-ches and spacer reaches, the intermediateply in the oilA drainage reaches being disposed in parallel engaging relation to the outer plies, the intermediate ply in the spacer reaches being disposed at substantially right angles to the outer plies and supportingly spacing said outer plies and having its free edge supportingly en.- gaging the at outer ply constituting the cylinder wall engagingl member, and being spaced from said inner wall to iprovide oil receiving cavities in the spacer reaches adapted to permit seepage of oil into andirom the same.

2. A piston ring assembly comprising a pair of axially spaced split expansible cylinder wall engaging side members, a split annular expansible ring element intermediate said cylinder wall engaging side members, formed of a ribbon of ductile metal conformed to provide oppositely disposed outer plies, an inner wall connecting the` mediate ply in the oil drainage reaches being dis-- posed in parallel engaging relation to the outer plies, the intermediate ply in the spacer reaches being disposed at substantially right angles to the outer plies and supportingly spacing said outer @plies and having its free edge supportingly engaging said flat outer ply, and being spaced from said inner wall to provide oil receiving cavities in the spacer reaches adapted to permit seepage of oil into and from the same.

3. A piston ring assembly comprising a pair of axially spaced split expansible cylinder wall engaging side members, a split annular expansible ring element intermediate said cylinder Wall engaging side members, formed of a ribbon of ductile metal conformed to provide oppositely disposed outer plies; an inner wall connecting the inner edgesof said outer plies and a ply intermediate said outer plies, one of said outer plies being dat, the other outer ply being integrally connected at its outer edge to one edge of said intermediate ply, the other edge of said. intermediate ply being free, said several plies extendingv continuously from end to end, of the ring element and being conformed. to provide alternate oil drainage reaches and spacer reaches, the intermediate ply in theoil drainage reaches. being disposedin parallel engaging relation.r to, the outer plies, the intermediateply inthe spacer reaches supportingly spacing said outer plies and having a free edge supportingly engaging said flat outer ply, and being spaced. from. said inner wall to provide oil receiving cavities in the spacer reaches adaptedto permit seepage of 'oil into and from the same.

4. A split annular resilient piston ring element formed of a ribbon of ductile metal conformed to provide two oppositely disposedy outer plies, an inner wall connecting said outer plies Iat the inner edges thereof, and a ply intermediate said outer plies, one of said` outer plies being dat and constituting a cylinder wall engaging member, the other outer ply being integrally connected at its outer edge to one edge of said intermediate ply, the other edge of said intermediate ply being free, said. several plies extending continuously from end to end of the ring element' and' being conformed to provide alternate oil drainage reaches and spacer reaches, the intermediate ply in the drainage reaches `being disposed in parallel engaging relation to the outer plies, the intermediate ply in the spacer reaches being disposed4 at substantially right angles to the outer plies and with its free edge portion in supporting engagement with the rst named-flat outeriply, said intermediate ply in the spacer reaches being spaced4 from said rear Wall to provide oil receiving cavities in the spacer reaches adapted to permit seepage of oil into andn from the same.

5. A split annular resilient piston ring element formed of a ribbon of ductile metal conformed to provide two oppositely disposed outer plies, an inner walliconnecting said outer plies at the inner edges thereof andv aply intermediate said outer plies,` one ofiv said-outer plies being'at, the other other ply being integrallyl connected at its outer edge to onel edge of: said intermediate ply, the other edgeof" saidintermediate ply being free, said several plies extending continuously from end to endI of, thering element andA being conformed to, provide alternate. oil. drainage reaches and spacer reachesthe intermediate ply in the drainageV reaches being disposed in parallel engaging. relation to the, outer pliesthe intermediate ply inthe. spacer:L reaches being. disposed at. substantially right angles to the outer plies and with its free edge portion in supporting engagement with the iirst named :dat outer ply, said intermediate ply in the spacer reaches being spaced from said rear wall to provide oil receiving cavities in the spacer reaches adapted to permit seepage of oil into land from the same.

6. A split annular resilient piston ring element formed of a ribbon of ductile metal conformed to provide two oppositely disposed outer plies, an inner wall connecting said outer plies at the inner edges thereof, and a ply intermediate said outer plies, one of said outer plies being flat, the other outer ply being integrally connected at its outer edge to one edge of said intermediate ply, the other edge of said intermediate ply being free, said several plies being conformed to provide alternate oil drainage reaches and spacer'reaches, the intermediate ply in the drainage reaches being disposed in parallel engaging relation to the outer plies, the intermediate ply in the spacer reaches being disposed at substantially right angles to the outer plies and with its free edge portion in supporting engagement with the rst named ilat outer ply, said intermediate ply in the spacer reaches being spaced from said rear Wall to provide oil receiving cavities in the spacer reaches adapted to permit seepage of oil into and from the same.

7. A split annular expansible piston ring element formed of ductile metal conformed to provide generally parallel outer spaced plies, a ply intermediate said outer plies, and an inner wall connecting the inner edges of said outer plies, said intermediate ply being integrally connected at one edge to the outer edge of one of said outer plies, the other edge of said intermediate ply being free, said several plies being conformed to provide alternate oil drainage reaches and spacer reaches, the several plies extending continuously through said alternate reaches, said inner wall in the spacer reaches being disposed substantially at right angles to the outer plies and supportingly spacing the same, said intermediate ply in the drainage reaches being disposed parallel to and in enga-ging relation to the outer plies, said intermediate ply in the spacer reaches being disposed substantially at right angles to the outer plies and supportingly spacing the sa-me and be ing disposed in spaced relation from said inner wall, said intermediate ply having its free edge portion in supporting engagement with the outer ply opposite from the outer ply to which it is integrally connected.

8. A split annular expansible piston ring element for-med of ductile metal conformed to provide generally parallel outer spaced plies, a ply intermediate said outer plies and an inner Wall connecting the inner edges of said outer plies said intermediate ply being integrally connected at one edge to the outer edge of one of said outer plies, the other edge of said intermediate ply being free, said several plies being conformed to provide alternate oil drainage reaches and spacer reaches, the several plies extending continuously through said alternate reaches, said inner wall in the spacer reaches supportingly spacing the same, said intermediate ply in the drainage reaches being disposed parallel to and in engaging relation to the outer plies, said intermediate ply in the spacer reaches supportingly spacing the same and being disposed in spaced relation from said inner Wall, said intermediate ply having its free edge portion in supporting engagement with the outer ply opposite from the outer ply to which it is integrally connected.

HAROLD P. PHILLIPS.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Phillips July 30, 1946 Number 

